Uygur Conventional Aidelaisi Silk Craft

Textile crafts and products are not only indicative of the economic status, historical development, and customs of the peoples of each region; they also show something about the way they live as well as their concepts of beauty. Etles, as a product which has been weaved and widely used by Uyghurs for generations, provides us with much information about Uyghurs aesthetic beliefs, the level of their textile craft technique development, their psychological characteristics, their religious beliefs, the level of their economic development, and more. Etles can even be considered a miniaturized form of the national cultural traditions formed by Uyghurs over the millennia.This paper, on the basis of written materials and fieldwork regarding Uyghurs' textile crafts and silk products of which etles is the major representative, will thoroughly consider the historical development of Uyghur silk crafts; traditional etles production techniques and the crafting process; the various types of etles; the concepts of beauty, the religious beliefs, and the cultural factors reflected in them; the present state of Uyghurs' traditional etles production, and various problems related to the continued inheritance of that tradition. The paper consists of a forward, Four chapters, thirteen core sections, and a conclusion; each section will serve to illuminate some aspect of Uyghur traditional etles craft.The Text:The forward will consider the current state of domestic and international research on this subject, as well as the purpose and significance of researching etles. Chapter One: Uyghur Traditional Silk Crafts and Their Historical Emergence and DevelopmentThis section will consider Uyghur traditional silk craft's technique and aesthetic principles by collating, comparing, and considering reports from foreign explorers who made expeditions in Xinjiang, historical documents from our own country, research papers published both domestically and abroad, archaeological artifacts, and orally transmitted stories.Chapter Two and Chapter Three: This sections will discuss beliefs and customs related to the traditional production process of Uyghur Etles, the tools involved, the raw materials, the cultures reflected in etles, the "Manual of the Silk-makers," and Uyghur traditional silk crafts.Chapter Four: The Present State of Traditional Uyghur Etles Handicrafts and ProductsThis section will consider, on the basis of fieldwork carried out in Khotan and Kashgar, the state of etles production, the inheritance of Uyghur traditional etles craft, Uyghur silk crafts under free-market conditions, and other issues.Uyghur etles reflects a multi-layered cultures, and deserves broad-based research. Along with benefiting from Xinjiang's natural resources and developing its economy, it is important to develop and preserve its customs and other cultural treasures.Uyghur traditional etles craft is a handicraft with a very long history, and is a widely-used artistic good combining in itself the arts silk-production, weaving, and dying. This product has been made from time immemorial by our hard-working, brave, and wise people, and constitutes a cultural phenomenon expressing in itself various things from the natural world. Having been passed down from our ancestors, it holds an important place in Uyghur life.